We asked people at Boise's farmers market to answer a few questions about themselves and put them on cards for others to see. It sparked a fascinating conversation with those who read the cards.

Author:
Kim Fields

Published:
4:14 PM MDT October 3, 2017

Updated:
9:44 AM MDT October 11, 2017

BOISE - KTVB is kicking off a new series this week called Life in Balance. So many of us might act as if our lives are perfectly balanced. Maybe we act perfect to have a better image on Facebook or Instagram or maybe it's because we don't want to admit our weaknesses or pain in our lives.

To begin the conversation about Life in Balance, we set up a confession board of sorts.

For a couple of hours one Saturday morning at the Farmers Market in downtown Boise, we asked people to anonymously answer one of four questions: I wish I could quit _____; My life would be better with more _____ and less ____; The most important things to balance in life are ____ and ____; My secret to keeping life in balance is ______.

Once our volunteers answered the questions, they were asked to hang it on a twine clothesline for others to read.

The experiment became a way for people to tell something, confess something, that maybe they never thought they could tell, and without anyone knowing it's them.

Here are some of the answers people wrote:

"I wish I could quit eating so much."

"I wish I could quit worrying."

"My life would be better with more confidence in my ability and less second guessing."

Life in Balance: Confession Board

To kick off our new series called "Life in Balance," we asked people at Boise's farmers market to answer a few questions about themselves and put them on cards for others to see. It sparked a fascinating conversation with those who read the cards.

01 / 09

To kick off our new series called "Life in Balance," we asked people at Boise's farmers market to answer a few questions about themselves and put them on cards for others to see. It sparked a fascinating conversation with those who read the cards.

01 / 09

"We kind of live in a society where it's want, want, want, more, more, faster, faster," said one woman who stopped by our display. "So it's kind of a time to reflect on what's going right in your life or maybe where you need to make some corrections to improve things in life."

Some of the responses might be easy to improve.

"I wish I could quit picking my nose."

Others may require a little more work.

"I wish I could quit doubting myself."

Maybe the responses are things we don't publicly share because we're afraid people won't like us.

"I wish I could quit having anxiety."

"I wish I could quit being so critical of myself"

"I wish I could quit trying to be everything to everyone."

But what we began to notice, the readers seemed to get more out of the experiment than those who confessed. It was as if they were relieved to know they're not alone.

"My life would be better with more time and less work."

"I agree with that," said one man who read the card aloud.

Our experiment, a reminder that no one's life is perfect. That everyone around us has a life that's just as complex as our own. Everyone is struggling to have a life in balance. And that's ok.